Animal Welfare Officer Job Description

Job Type Examples

Animal welfare officers can work at universities where they are responsible for watching over any breeding programs the agricultural department may have in place or to monitor the well being of animals that may be part of laboratory experiments. Volunteer animal welfare officers may work at animal rescues and assist law enforcement in extracting animals from potentially abusive or dangerous situations. The racing industry may work with animal welfare officers to make sure animal care is monitored for racing animals such as dogs or horses.

Your local animal welfare officer most likely works for or with a local police department. This person or team is responsible for investigating dog barking complaints, enforcing poop scooping and leash laws, and issuing tickets to owners who have animals that are not properly licensed. The types of animals that local animal welfare officers may have to deal with can vary depending on the region in which they live. For example, southern states may deal with alligator, snake or iguana issues, whereas northwestern states most likely would not.

Working as an animal welfare officer in the United States can earn you a range of $9.48 to $24.93 per hour, as of 2010, according to the Department of Labor. The highest paying wages for this career seem to be working for a state government or within the scientific community.

According to O Net Online, a resource for job-related statistics, animal welfare officers are not necessarily required to have an associate's or bachelor's degree to gain employment. Some offices, such as state or federal offices, may require further education or training in animal handling, animal medical issues or portions of law enforcement training. If you're considering becoming an animal welfare officer, research the demand for this field in your area and contact specific agencies you're wanting to work with to find out about any special educational or licensing requirements.